TSR Nitro Gets Ready For NHRA New England Nationals
Can Hagan Gets His Third Win In A Row?
Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) is revving up for the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire, set to take place from May 31 to June 2. The event marks the seventh stop on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race calendar in 2024. With two full-time entries, TSR is bringing the heat with Tony Stewart in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan in Funny Car.
Stewart, a Top Fuel rookie, is eager to tackle the Epping track, acknowledging the expertise of his team in navigating its nuances. He comments, “Epping is a new track to me so I’m going to have to just learn the facility first. Neal (Crew Chief) and Mike (Co-Crew Chief) and the team have been there multiple times, so it’s just me getting caught up to the racetrack and learning the nuances of it that are different than any of the other tracks we go to.”
Meanwhile, Hagan, riding high on back-to-back wins, enters Epping with momentum and familiarity. Reflecting on his strategy, he states, “Every race is so different, though, when it comes to track conditions and weather. What’s nice is that I’ve been with Dickie for so long now… Epping has been very kind to me, having won four races there.”
Both drivers emphasize the importance of adding a fourth qualifying session. Stewart believes it will alleviate pressure, especially for drivers, while Hagan sees it as an opportunity for gathering crucial data. Hagan elaborates, “Four sessions make it nice to gather more data and have more information to go off of… As the season gets into the summer months, we’ll be racing on warmer tracks.”
With Stewart representing Rinnai tankless water heaters on his Top Fuel Dragster and Hagan sporting the colors of Rush Truck Centers on his Funny Car, TSR brings a blend of experience and innovation to the NHRA stage.
As the countdown to the NHRA New England Nationals begins, TSR is poised to make its mark, leveraging its drivers’ skill, the expertise of its crew, and the support of its sponsors to chase victory on the Epping track. Stay tuned for a weekend of high-speed action and fierce competition as TSR Nitro gears up for the challenge ahead.
Event Schedule:
Friday, May 31 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
- Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 5:30 p.m. EDT
- Nitro qualifying session (Q2): 8 p.m. EDT
Saturday, June 1 (Nitro Qualifying & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
- Top Fuel qualifying session (Q3) & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge – Round 1: 12:30 p.m. EDT
- Funny Car qualifying session (Q3) & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge – Round 1: 1 p.m. EDT
- Top Fuel qualifying session (Q4) & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge – Finals: 3 p.m. EDT
- Funny Car qualifying session (Q4) & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge – Finals: 3:30 p.m. EDT
Sunday, June 2 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
- Round 1: 11 a.m. EDT
- Round 2: 1:15 p.m. EDT
- Semi-Finals: 2:55 p.m. EDT
- Finals: 4:20 p.m. EDT
TV Schedule on FS1:
Friday, May 31:
- Qualifying show: 7:30 p.m. EDT
Saturday, June 1:
- Qualifying show: 7 p.m. EDT
- Finals Challenge: 8 p.m. EDT
Sunday, June 2:
- Finals show, first-round coverage only: 1 p.m. EDT
- Finals show, comprehensive with all rounds: 7 p.m. EDT
